Biking and dogs?

Me and the mutt at Laggan, she very much a "lead" dog so stays out in front. She has been clipped by the front tyre a few times, nowt serious, so they learn to stay out the way, she has a command that means "go on" the other dog trucks in behind.
Now my ex had custody of the mutts but I still get to ride with them occasionally. Do miss them not so much at Trail Centres more on the XC rides.

I've a strong dislikes for dogs, well actually more their owners. But if a dog is well trained, I don't see a problem with it.

Thing that annoys me with dogs is the owners that think it's alright to allow their dogs to run up to every and anyone. It's not, when dogs approach me like this I have a great fear of them. I don't know how to handle them, so have it off the leash, aye, but if you do this also have it trained so that it doesn't harass unsuspecting people, who you have no idea of their level of comfort with dogs.

Some dogs I'm ok with, but others put the fear of death into me.

Please don't just wave it off as nothing and say, "auch it'll just lick you to death", maybe, but how the hell I'm I ment to know that, especially with some of the more aggressive looking dogs around.

Drac - Moderator
Please don't just wave it off as nothing and say, "auch it'll just lick you to death", maybe, but how the hell I'm I ment to know that, especially with some of the more aggressive looking dogs around.
Well if it hasn't ripped your face off then you might be Ok, unless next time it's waiting for a small child.

Might being the operative word. If a dogs gets too close i'm getting into a defensive position, what happens after that is the owners fault not mine.

seosamh77 is right, I Don't know why Dog lovers always assume people are comfortable around their mutts, or try and trivialise other peoples discomfort at being in close proximity to them...
Much less having the things running about your wheels when you are riding, you might be fine with it, but I don't know your dogs temperament, typical reactions, any useful commands it might respond to (Does "GETOUTOFTHEBASTARDWAYYOULITTLESHIT!!" ever work?) so don't expect me to be happy when I encounter it...

TBH if I'm presented with a random, uncontrolled dog on a trail my first instinct would be to brake/take avoiding action, so it's already getting in my way even if it does have the ability Predict my next move...

If you can guarantee it won't bother other trail users then Great, but I don't see how anyone could be certain of that...

I have taken my dog riding lots of times before I bought a derelict house, as I was riding min 3 times a week, every week in Mendips/Quantocks/Wales/Leigh Woods and Ashton court including night riding , no issues really only major hassle is all the people stopping to talk to you about your dog and it seems to really cheer people up

I would ignore the negative IT middle managers and accountants on here, as in the real world most people are happy to live and let live and seeing someone else enjoying themselves cheers them up.

I've even ridden with him at ...... Afan, but that was a pain as I spent more time chatting about the dog than riding; so it didn't really work for me

Only think which is well worth doing getting a flashing collar, whistle training them, ensure they can walk/run to heel when you are riding the bike and they are on the lead, and teaching them to walk/run around things on command (for when you are riding with them on the lead, you on the road them on the pavement and a car/lamp post/road sign gets in the way, so they can go around it without you having to ride on the pavement)

teamhurtmore - Member
Yes, but are you in full control of the dog: for its safety, for other dogs safety and other peoples safety?

For me, that means take the dogs on nice long walks but leave them behind on rides. They are well trained but I am not in enough control of any of those three in a bike for me to feel comfortable having them on a ride.

I have a lab cross who I trained to the bike.., she will run comfortably on the lead on busy sustrans paths when busy or if other walkers have there's on a lead. But mostly without 8f I tell her to "run on" when approaching other dogs she compketwly ignores them keeping pace at the right side of me and always in the bikes length. Had a few teething troubles starting out but within a month we were up to 22 miles three times a week. I always try to be respectful as my sister is terrified of dogs and I know how uncomfortable she feels.

Not getting involved in the debate as some non dog lovers posts on here are quite sad really bit crosshair I have I say what a great photo and some very very good looking spaniels! The one on the far right looks the spit of mine.

I may be in the minority but whilst you come across dogs that "appear" to have an agressive temeperament I've never come across any on a trail either walking or riding. Plenty in the local park type of thing yes, but I would assume that if you are the type of person who wants to take your dog trail riding or hill walking then you take an active and responsible attitude in "socialising" your dog. Otherwise franky it's is just a hassle to have to look after. Yes I do love dogs and am not blind to the (rare IME) dangers they can present but I've never been on the receiving end of a dog's aggression except Farmers' dogs and idiots in the park.

Agreed, but its the Dalmation running up deerstalker that I remember (as I came hurtling down the one-way trail).

Over the Christmas break my young daughter was knocked to the ground by a dog in the woods and the owner said "Oh dear, I thought he might do that". Similarly her 5 year old friend was knocked over by a dog in Hawley Woods, the owners response being "he's only a puppy" (the mutt didn't even have a collar on).

Unfortunately it's these sort of encounters that people remember rather than the majority of well-behaved dogs and owners.

I'm not a dog hater, i always had dogs when i was a kid. But I get sick of people not calling their dogs back when they start running around my wheels. They may not be vicious but i don't want 3 dogs running around my wheels and getting in my way. I once had staff bite through my front tyre as well. And another guy who refused to call his dog back even though i had stopped my bike and his Alsatian was braking and snarling at me. He just kept telling ME to calm down and that it won't bite me. Every time i tried to move it got angrier.

Whilst out with the kids once a young and pretty stupid dog came bounding up to us and at first the kids thought it was great but then it started getting too close to my 2.5 yr old and she started to get scared, she was eating a sandwich at the time. Then the dog started trying to take the sandwich from her hand, so I shoved it away and told the owner to call it back. He started to get all upset cos "it was only a puppy". To which i replied "if it's not trained get it on a lead". He then got all shouty and offering me out for fight in front of his and my kids. I told him to go away but really wanted to smack him in the face!!

I just get sick of the assumption that every one wants to have dogs around and that you should know a dogs temperament before you have even seen it. If you're in a public pace keep your dogs on leads, if they start barking at someone call them back and get them on a lead. Stop assuming everyone will love your dog, they won't.

I never keep my dogs on a lead and never will Ive ran into them loads but they've learnt now. My dogs are properly trained I put a lot of time into it. If I'm walking them and see riders coming towards us I will get them to come back and sit by my side. Simple really

I'm a dog lover myself, we're getting one soon, but I sympathise with those that aren't. I quite often have dogs bounding up to me while out running in woods/countryside, I'm not afraid of them and will give them a rub on the head on the way past but they are a pain in the arse as they put you off your stride. If I think one might get aggressive I'll get in there first and scare it off, not been bitten yet, but if I were scared of dogs none of this would be pleasant in any way.

My mum has had dogs all my life and always been very strict with them and trained them well. However she's in her 60s now and treats her latest dog like a baby (must be an age thing). It can do no wrong in her eyes and she doesn't understand why some folks don't like it. It's a lovely dog (big mind) but because it's not been trained properly will jump up, climb on the furniture, try to hump the children etc. Whenever he does these things she laughs and claims he's never done that before, despite having done it 5 minutes earlier.

My point is some dog owners are just blind to any bad traits in their pooch and will never accept the reality that other people don't want to be jumped up at, licked, etc. I'm sad to say my mum has become one of those people. It doesn't mean all dogs and dog owners are the same though, just as not every cyclist jumps red lights and not all car drivers are trying to kill you.